Process for breaking petroleum emulsions



Patented Feb. 20, 1951 PROCESSES FOR BREAKING PETROLEUM EMULSIONS Melvin De Groote, University City, and Bernhard Keiser, Webster Groves, Mo., assignors to Petrolite Corporation, Ltd., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing; Application December 13, 1948, Serial No. 65,082

21 Claims.

This invention relates to processes or procedures particularly adapted for preventing, breaking, or resolving emulsions of the water-inoil type, and articularly petroleum emulsions. This invention is a continuation-in-part of our co-pending application Serial No. 726,206, filed February 3, 1947 (now abandoned). See also our co-pending applications Serial No. 8,731, filed February 16, 1948 (now abandoned), and Serial No. 42,134, filed August 2, 1948 (now abandoned). Attention is directed also to our three co-pending applications Serial No. 64,456, filed Dec. 10, 1948 (now abandoned); Serial No. 65,084, filed Dec. 13, 1948; and Serial No. 65,085, filed Dec. 13, 1948.

Complementary to the above aspect of the invention is our companion invention concerned with the new chemical products or compounds used as the demulsifying agents in said aforementioned processes or procedures, as well as the application of such chemical compounds, products, and the like, in various other arts and industries, along with the method for manufacturing said new chemical products or compounds which are of outstanding value in demulsification. See our co-pending application Serial No. 65,083, filed Dec. 13, 1948.

Our invention provides an economical and rapid process for resolving petroleum emulsions of the water-in-oil type, that are commonly referred to as cut oil, roily oil, emulsified oil, etc., and which comprises fine droplets of naturally-occurring waters or brines dispersed in a more or less permanent state throughout the oil which constitutes the continuous phase of the emulsion.

It also provides an economical and rapid process for separating emulsions which have been prepared under controlled conditions from mineral oil, such as crude oil and relatively soft waters or weak brines. Controlled emulsification and subsequent demulsification, under the conditions just mentioned, are of significant value in removing impurities, particularly inorganic salts, from pipeline oil.

Demulsification, as contemplated in the present application, includes the preventive step of commingling the demulsifier with the aqueous component which would or might subsequently become either phase of the emulsion in the absence of such precautionary measure. Similarly,

such demulsifier may be mixed with the hydrocarbon component.

Briefiy stated, the present process is concerned with the breaking or resolving of petroleum emulsions by means of quaternary ammonium compounds obtained from certain esters, which are, in turn, derivatives of specific synthetic products. These products are, in turn, the oxyalkylated derivatives of certain resins hereinafter specified.

Thus, the present process is concerned with breaking petroleum emulsions of the Water-in-oil type, characterized by subjecting the emulsion to the action of a specific hydrophile quaternary ammonium compound subsequently described. Said hydrophile quaternary ammonium compound is obtained by reaction between a heterocyclic compound selected from the group consisting of pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline, and carbon-linked methyl homologues thereof, and the ester of an alpha-halogen monocarboxylic acid having not over 6 carbon atoms and hydrophile hydroxylated synthetic products; said hydrophile synthetic products being oxyalkylation products of (A) an alpha-beta alkylene oxide having not more than 4 carbon atoms and selected from the class consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, glycide, and methylglycide; and (B) an oxyalkylation-susceptible, fusible, organic solvent-soluble, waterinsoluble, phenol-aldehyde resin; said resin being derived by reaction between a difunctional monohydric phenol and an aldehyde having not over 8 carbon atoms and reactive towards said phenol; said resin being formed in the substantial absence of trifunctional phenols; said phenol being of the formula:

in which R is a hydrocarbon radical having at least 4 and not more than 12 carbon atoms and substituted in the 2,4,6 position; said oxyalkylated resin being characterized by the introduction into the resin molecule of a plurality of divalent radicals having the formula (R1O)n, in which R1 is a member selected from the class consisting of ethylene radicals, propylene radicals, butylene radicals, hydroxypropylene radicals, and hydroxybutylene radicals, and n is a numeral varying from 1 to 20; with the proviso that at least 2 moles of alkylene oxide be introduced for each phenolic nucleus; and with the final proviso that the hydrophile properties of the .ultimate quaternary ammonium compound as well as the oxyalkylated resin in an equal weight of xylene are sufficient to produce an emulsion when said xylene solution is shaken vigorously with one to three volumes of Water.

For convenience, what is said hereinafter may be divided into five parts. Part 1 will be concerned with the production of the resin from a difunctional phenol and an aldehyde; Part 2 will be concerned with the oxyalkylation of the resin so as to convert it into a hydrophile hydroxylated derivative; Part 3 will be concerned with the conversion of the immediately aforementioned derivative into a total or partial ester by reaction with chloroacetic acid, or the like; Part 4 will be concerned with the reaction between such esters containin a labile halogen and tertiary amines of the pyridine series, aspreviously specified; and Part 5 will -be concerned with the use of such quaternary ammonium compounds, as demulsifiers, as hereinafter described.

PART 1 As to the preparation of the phenol-aldehyde resins reference is made to our co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 8,'730 and 8,731, both filed February 16, 1948 (both now abandoned). In such co-pending applications we described a fusible, organic solvent-soluble, water-insoluble resin polymer of the formula In such idealized representation 11/ is a numeral Varying from 1 to 13 or even more, provided that the resin is fusible and organic solvent-soluble. R is a hydrocarbon radical having at least 4 and not over 8 carbon atoms. In the instant application R may have as .many as 12 carbon atoms, as in the case of a resin obtained from a dodecylphenol. In the instant invention it may be first suitable to describe the alkylene oxides employed as reactants, then the aldehydes, and finally the phenols, for the reason that the latter require a more elaborate description.

The alkylene oxides which .may :be used are the alpha-beta oxides having not more than 4 carbon atoms, to wit, ethylene oxide, alpha-beta propylene oxide, alphaebeta butylene oxide, glycide, and methylglycide.

Any aldehyde capable of forming a methylol or a substituted methylol group and having not more than 8 carbon atoms is satisfactory, so long as it does not possess some other functional group or structure which will conflict with the resinification reaction or with the subsequent oxlyalkylation of the resin, but the use of formaldehyde, in its cheapest form of an aqueous solution, for the production of the resins is particularly advantageous. Solid polymers of formaldehyde are more expensive and higher aldehydes are both less reactive, and are more expensive. Furthermore, the higher aldehydes may undergo other reactions which are not desirable, thus introducing difficulties into the resinification step. Thus acetaldehyde, for example, may undergo an aldol condensation, and it and most of the higher aldehydes enter into self-resinification when treated with strong acids or alkalies. On the other hand, higher aldehydes frequently beneficially affect the solubility and fusibility of a resin. This is illustrated, for example, by the different characteristics of the resin prepared from para-tertiary amylphenol and formaldehyde on one hand, and a comparable product prepared from the same phenolic reactant and heptaldehyde on the other hand. The former, as .shovznin certain subsequent examples, is a hard,

brittle, solid, whereas the latter is soft and tacky, and obviously easier to handle in the subsequent oxyalkylation procedure.

Cyclic aldehydes may be employed, particularly benzaldehyde. The employment of furfural requires careful control for the reason that in addition to its aldehydic function, furfural can form vinyl condensations by virtue of its unsaturatedstructure. The productionof resins from furfural for use in :preparing reactants .for the present process is most conveniently conducted with weak alkaline catalysts and often with alkali metal carbonates. :Use'ful aldehydes, in addition to formaldehyde, are acetaldehyde, propionic aldehyde, butyraldehyde, 2-,ethylhexanal, ethylbutyraldehyde, heptaldehyde, and benzaldehyde, furfural and glyoxal. It would appear that the use of glyoxal should be avoided .due to the fact that it is tetrafunctional. However, our experience has been that, in resin manufacture and particularly as described herein, apparently only one of the aldehydic functions enters :into the resinification reaction. The inability of the otheraldehydic function to enter into the reaction is presumably due to steric hindrance.

' Needless to say, one can .use a mixture ,of two or more aldehydes although usually this has no advantage.

Resins of the kind which are used as intermediates in this invention are obtained with the use of acid catalysts or .alkaline catalysts, or without the use of any catalyst :at all. Among the useful alkaline catalysts are ammonia, amines, and quaternary ammonium bases. It is generally accepted that ;when .ammonia and amines are employed as catalystsjthey enter into the condensationreaction and, in fact,'-may operate by initial combination with the aldehydic reactant. The compound hexamethylenetetramine illustrates :such a combination. In light of these various -:reactions it becomes difficult to present any formula which would depict the structure of the various resins prior to oxyalkylation. :More will be said subsequently as to the difference between the use of an alkaline ,catalyst and an acid catalyst; ,even in .the use of an alkaline catalyst there is considerable evidence 1 to indicate that the .products are not identical where different basic materials are employed. The basic materials employed include not only those previously enumerated but also the hydroxides of the alkali metals, hydroxides of the alkaline earth metals, salts of strong bases and weak acids such as sodium acetate, .etc.

Suitable phenolic reactants include the following: 'Para-tertiarybutylphenol; para-secondarybutylphenol; -para-tertiary amylphenol; para- ,secondary-amylphenol; para-etertiaryehexylphenol; para-isooctylphenol; ortho-phenylphenol; para-phenylphenol; ortho-benzylphenol; parabenzylphenol; and para-cyclohexylphenol, and the corresponding ortho-para substituted metacresols and 3,5-xylenols. Similary, one may use paraor otho-nonylphenol or a mixture, paraor ortho-decylphenol or a mixture, menthylphenol, or paraor ortho-dodecylphenol.

For convenience, the phenol has previously been referred to as monocyclic in order to differentiate from fused nucleus polycyclic phenols, such as substituted naphthols. Specifically, .monocyclic is limited to the nucleus in which the hydroxyl radical is attached. Broadly speaking, where a substituent is cyclic, particularly aryl, obviously in the usual sense such phenol is actually polycyclic although the phenolic hydroxyl is not attached to a fused polycyclic nucleus. Stated another way, phenols in which the hydroxyl group is directly attached to a condensed or fused polycyclic structure, are excluded. This matter, however, is clarified by the following consideration. The phenols herein contemplated for reaction may be indicated by the following formula:

in which R is selected from the class consisting of hydrogen atoms and hydrocarbon radicals having at least 4 carbon atoms and not more than 12 carbon atoms, with the proviso that one occurrence of R is the hydrocarbon substituent and the other two occurrences are hydrogen atoms, and with the further provision that one or both of the 3 and 5 positions may be methyl substituted.

The above formula possibly can be restated more conveniently in the following manner, to wit, that the phenol employed is of the following formula, with the proviso that R. is a hydrocarbon substitutent located in the 2,4,6 position, again with the provision as to 3 or 3,5 methyl substitution. This is conventional nomenclature, numbering the various positions in the usual clockwise manner, beginning with the hydroxyl position as one:

The manufacture of thermoplastic phenol-aldehyde resins, particularly from formaldehyde and a difunctional phenol, i. e., a phenol in which one of the three reactive positions (2,4,6) has been substituted by a hydrocarbon group, and particularly by one having at least 4 carbon atoms and not more than, 12 carbon atoms, is well known. As has been previously pointed out, there is no objection to a methyl radical provided it is present in the 3 or 5 position.

Thermoplastic or fusible phenol-aldehyde resins are usually manufactured for the varnish trade and oil solubility is of prime importance. For this reason, the common reactants employed are butylated phenols, amylated phenols, phenylphenols, etc. The methods employed in manufacturing such resins are similar to those employed in the manufacture of ordinary phenolformaldehyde resins, in that either an acid or alkaline catalyst is usually employed. The procedure usually differs from that employed in the manufacture or ordinary phenol-aldehyde resins in that phenol, being water-soluble, reacts readily with an aqueous aldehyde solution without further difiiculty, while when a water-insoluble phenol is employed some modification is usually adoped to increase the interfacial surface and thus cause reaction to take place. A common solvent is sometimes employed. Another procedure employs rather severe agitation to create a large interfacial area. Once the reaction starts to a moderate degree, it is possible that both reactants are somewhat soluble in the partially reacted mass and assist in hastening the reaction. We have found it desirable to employ a small proportion of an organic sulfo-acid as a catalyst, either alone or along with a mineral acid like sulfuric or hydrochloric acid. For example, alkylated aromatic sulfonic acids are efiectively employed. Since commercial forms of such acids are commonly their alkali salts, it is sometimes convenient to use a small quantity of such alkali salt plus a small quantity of strong mineral acid, as shown in the examples below. If desired, such organic sulfo-acids may be prepared in situ in the phenol employed, by reacting concentrated sulfuric acid with a small proportion of the phenol. In such cases where xylene is used as a solvent and concentrated sulfuric acid is employed, some sulfonation of the xylene probably occurs to produce the sulfo-acid. Addition of a solvent such as xylene is advantageous as hereinafter described in detail. Another variation of procedure is to employ such organic sulfo-acids, in the form of their salts, in connection with an alkali-catalyzed resinification procedure. Detailed examples are included subsequently.

Another advantage in the manufacture of the thermoplastic or fusible type of resin by the acid catalytic procedure is that, since a difunctional phenol is employed, an excess of an aldehyde, for instance formaldehyde, may be employed without too marked a change in conditions of reaction and ultimate product. There is usually little, if any, advantage, however, in using an excess over and above the stoichiometric proportions for the reason that such excess may be lost and and wasted. For all practical purposes the molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol may be limited to 0.9 to 1.2, with 1.05 as the preferred ratio, or sumcient, at least theoretically, to convert the remaining reactive hydrogen atom of each terminal phenolic nucleus. Sometimes when higher aldehydes are used an excess of aldehydic reactant can be distilled off and thus recovered from the reaction mass. This same procedure may be used with formaldehyde and excess reactant recovered.

When an alkaline catalyst is used the amount of aldehyde, particularly formaldehyde, may be increased over the simple stoichiometric ratio of one-to-one or thereabouts. With the use of alkaline catalyst it has been recognized that considerably increased amounts of formaldehyde may be used, as much as two moles of formaldehyde, for example, per mole of phenol, or even more, with the result that only a small part of such aldehyde remains uncombined or is subsequently liberated during resinification. Strucaeaacci tur'es which have been advanced to explain such increased use of aldehydes are the following:

Such structures may lead to the production of cyclic polymers instead of linear polymers. For this reason, it has been previously pointed out that, although linear polymers have by far the most important significance, the present invention does not exclude resins of such cyclic structures.

Sometimes conventional resinification procedure is employed using either acid or alkaline catalysts to produce low-stage resins. Such resins may be employed as such, or may be altered or converted into high-stage resins, or in any event, into resins of higher molecular weight, by heating along with the employment of vacuum so as to split off water or formaldehyde, or both. Generally speaking, temperatures employed, particularly with vacuum, may be in the neighborhood of 175 to 250 C., or thereabouts.

It may be well to point out, however, that the amount of formaldehyde used may and does usually aflect the length of the resin chain. Increasing the amount of the aldehyde, such as formaldehyde, usually increases the size of molecular weight of the polymer.

In the hereto appended claims there is specified, among other things, the resin polymer containing at least 3 phenolic nuclei. Such minimum molecular size is most conveniently determined as a rule by cryoscopic method using ben zene, or some other suitable solvent, for instance, one of those mentioned elsewhere herein as a solvent for such resins. As a matter of fact, using the procedures herein described or any conventional resinification procedure will yield products usually having definitely in excess of 3 nuclei. In other words, a resin having an average of 4, 5 or 5% nuclei per unit is apt to be formed as a minimum in resinification, except under certain special conditions where dimer'ization may occur.

However, if resins are prepared at substantially higher temperatures, substituting cymene, tetralin, etc., or some other suitable solvent which boils or refiuxes at a higher temperature, instead of xylene, in subsequent examples, and if one doubles or triples the amount of catalyst, doubles or triples the time of refluxing, uses a marked excess of formaldehyde or other aldehyde, then the average size of the resin is apt to be distinctly over the above values, for example, it may average 7 to 15 units. Sometimes the expression low-stage resin or low-stage intermediate is employed to mean a stage having 6 or 7 units or even less. In the appended claims we have used low-stage to mean 3 to '7 units based on average molecular weight.

The molecular weight determinations, of course, require that the .product be completely 8 soluble in the particular solvent selected as, for instance, benzene. The molecular weight determination of such solution may involve either the freezing point as in the cryoscopic method, or, less conveniently perhaps, the boiling point in an ebullioscopic method. The advantage of the ebullioscopic method is that, in comparison with the cryoscopic method, it is more apt to insure complete solubility. One such common method to employ is that of Menzies and Wright (see'J. Am. Chem. Soc. 43, 2309 and 2314 (1921)). Any suitable method for determining molecular weights will serve, although almost any procedure adopted has inherent limitations. A good method for determining the molecular weights of resins, especially solvent-soluble resins, is the cryoscopic procedure of Krumbhaar which employs diphenylamine as a solvent (see Coating and Ink Resins, page 157, Reinhold Publishing Co. 1947).

Subsequent examples will illustrate the use of an acid catalyst, an alkaline catalyst, and no catalyst. As far as resin manufacture per se is concerned, we prefer to use an acid catalyst, and particularly a mixture of an organic sulfa-acid and a mineral acid, along with a suitable solvent, such as xylene, as hereinafter illustrated in detail. However, we have obtained products from resins obtained by use of an alkaline catalyst which were just as satisfactory as those obtained employing acid catalysts. Sometimes a combination of both types of catalysts is used in different stages of resinification. Resins so obtained are also perfectly satisfactory.

In numerous instances the higher molecular weight resins, i. e., those referred to as high-stage resins, are conveniently obtained by subjecting lower molecular weight resins to vacuum distillation and heating. Although such procedure sometimes removes only amodest amount or even perhaps no low polymer, yet it is almost certain to produce further polymerization. For instance, acid catalyzed resins obtained in the usual manner and having a molecular weight indicating the presence of approximately 4 phenolic units or there'abouts may be subjected to such treatment, with the result that one obtains a resin having approximately double this molecular Weight. 'Ihe usual procedure is to use a secondary step, heating the resin in the presence or absence of an inert gas, including steam, or by use of vacuum.

We have found that under the usual conditions of resinification employing phenols of the kind here described, there is little or no tendency to form binuclear compounds, i. e., dimers, resulting from the combination, for example, of 2 moles of a phenol and one mole of formaldehyde, particularly where the substituent has 4 or 5 carbon atoms. Where the number of carbon atoms in a substituent approximates the upper limit specified herein, there may be some tendency to dimerizaticn. The usual procedure to obtain a dimer involves an enormously large excess of the ph- 1101, for instance, 8 to 10 moles per mole of aldehyde. Substituted dihydroxydiphenylmethanes obtained from substituted phenols are not resins as that term is used herein.

Although any conventional procedure ordinarily employed may be used in the manufacture of the herein contemplated resins or, for that matter, such resins may be purchased in the open market, we have found it particularly d si'rable to use the procedures described elsewhere herein, and employing a combination of an organic sulfoacid and a mineral acid as a catalyst, and xylene as a solvent. By way of illustration, certain subsequent examples are included, but it is to be understood the herein described invention is not concerned with the resins per se or with any particular method of manufacture but is concerned with the use of reactants obtained by the subsequent oxyalkylation thereof. The phenol-aldehyde resins may be prepared in any suitable manner.

Oxyalkylation, particularly oxyethylation which is the preferred reaction, depends on contact between a non-gaseous phase and a gaseous phase. It can, for example, be carried out by melting the thermoplastic resin and subjecting it to treatment with ethylene oxide or the like, or by treating a suitable solution or suspension. Since the melting points of the resins are often higher than desired in the initial stage of oxyethylation, we have found it advantageous to use a solution or suspension of thermoplastic resin in an inert solvent such as xylene. Under such circumstances, the resin obtained in the usual manner is dissolved by heating in xylene under a reflux condenser or in any other suitable manner. Since xylene or an equivalent inert solvent is present or may be present during oxyalkylation, it is obvious there is no objection to having a solvent present during the resinifying stage if, in addition to being inert towards the resin, it is also inert towards the reactants and also inert towards water. Numerous solvents, particularly of aromatic or cyclic nature, are suitably adapted for such use. Examples of such solvents are xylene, cymene, ethyl benzene, propyl benzene, mesitylene, decalin (decahydronaphthalene) tetralin (tetrahydronaphthalene), ethylene glycol diethylether, diethylene glycol diethylether, and tetraethylene glycol dimethylether, or mixtures of one or more. Solvents such as dichloroethylether, or dichloropropylyether may be employed either alone or in mixture but have the objection that the chlorine atom in the compound may slowly combine with the alkaline catalyst employed in oxyethylation. Suitable solvents may be selected from this group for molecular weight determinations.

The use of such solvents is a convenient expedient in the manufacture of the thermoplastic resins, particularly since the solvent gives a more liquid reaction mass and thus prevents overheating, and also because the solvent can be employed in connection with a reflux condenser and a water trap to assist in the removal of water of reaction and also water present as part of the formaldehyde reactant when an aqueous solution of formaldehyde is used. Such aqueous solution, of course, with the ordinary product of commerce containing about 37 /2 to 40% formaldehyde, is the preferred reactant. When such solvent is used it is advantageously added at the beginning of the resinification procedure or before the reaction has proceeded very far.

The solvent can be removed afterwards by distillation with or without the use of vacuum, and a final higher temperature can be employed to complete reaction if desired. In many instances it is most desirable to permit part of the solvent, particularly when it is inexpensive, e. g., xylene, to remain behind in a predetermined amount so as to have a resin which can be handled more conveniently in the oxyalkylation stage. If a more expensive solvent, such as decalin, is employed, xylene or other inexpensive solvent may 10 be added after the removal of decalin, if desired.

In preparing resins from difunctional phenols it is common to employ reactants of technical grade. The substituted phenols herein contemplated are usually derived from hydroxybenzene. As a rule, such substituted phenols are comparatively free from unsubstituted phenol. We have generally found that the amount present is considerably less than 1% and not infrequently in the neighborhood of 3 s of 1%, or even less. The amount of the usual trifunctional phenol, such as hydroxybenzene or metacresol, which can be tolerated is determined by the fact that actual cross-linking, if it takes place even infrequently, must not be sufficient to cause insolubility at the completion of the resinification stage or the lack of hydrophile properties at the completion of the oXyalkyl-ation stage.

The exclusion of such trifunctional phenols as hydroxybenzene or metacresol is not based on the fact that the mere random or occasional inclusion of an unsubstituted phenyl nucleus in the resin molecule or in one of several molecules, for example, markedly alters the characteristics of the oxyalkylated derivative. The presence of a phenyl radical having a reactive hydrogen atom available or having a hydroxymethylol or a substituted hydroxymethylol group present is a potential source of cross-linking either during resinification or oxyalkylation. Cross-linking leads either to insoluble resins or to non-hydrophilic products resulting from the oxyalkylation procedure. With this rationale understood, it is obvious that trifunctional phenols are tolerable only in a minor proportion and should not be present to the extent that insolubility is produced in the resins, or that the product resulting from oxyalkylation is gelatinous, rubbery, or at least not hydrophile. As to the rationale of res nification, note particularly what is said hereafter in differentiating between resoles, Novolaks, and resins obtained solely from difunctional phenols.

Previous reference has been made to the fact that fusible organic solvent-soluble resins are usually linear but may be cyclic. Such more complicated structure may be formed, particularly if a resin prepared in the usual manner is converted into a higher stage resin by heat treatment in vacuum as previously mentioned. This again is a reason for avoiding any opportunity for cross-linking due to the presence of any appreciable amount of tr functional phenol. In other words, the presence of such reactant may cause cross-linking in a convent onal resinification procedure, or in the oxvalkvlation procedure. or in the heat and vacuum tre tment if it is employed as part of resin manufacture.

Our routine procedure in ex m ning a phenol for suitability for preparing intermediates to be used in practising the invention is to prepare a resin employing formaldehyde in excess (1.2 moles of formaldehyde per mole of phenol) and using an acid catalyst in the manner described in Example 1a of our Patent 2,499 370 granted March '7, 1950. If the resin so obtained is solvent-soluble in any one of the aromatic or other solvents previously referred to, it is then subjected to oxyethylation. During oxyethylation a temperature is employed of approximately to C. with addition of at least 2 and advantageously up to 5 moles of ethylene oxide per phenolic hydroxyl. The oxyethylation is advantageously conducted so as to require from a few minutes up to 5 to 10 hours. If the product so obtained is solvent-soluble and armour:

self-dispersing; or emulsifiable,. or; has. emulsify-= ing; properties, the phenol is perfectly; satisfactory from thestandpoint of; trifunctional: phenol content. The solvent. may be removed prior to. the. dispersibility or emulsifiability. test.v When. a product becomes rubbery. during oxyalkylation due: to the presence. of: a small amount of tri-. reactive phenol, as previously. mentioned-,. orfor some other reason, it. may become extremely insoluble, and no longer qualifies as being: hydrophile as hereinspecifie'd: Increasing the=size of thealdehydic nucleus, for instance using heptaldehyde: instead of formaldehyde, increases tolerence' for trifunctional" phenol.

The presence of a trifunctional or tetrafunctlfonal phenol. (such as resorcinolor bisphenol A) isapt to produce detectable cross-linking and: insolubilization but will not necessarily do so, especially: if the proportion is small. Resinification involving difunctional phenols onlymay also produce insolubilization, although this seems to bean anomaly or a contradiction of what is sometimes said in regard to resinification reactions involving difunctional' phenols only. This is presumablyd'ue to cross-linking. This'appears to-be contradictory to-what one might expect in light of the theory-t functionality in resinification. It istrue that under ordinary circumstances, or rather under the circumstances of conventional resinmanufacture, the procedures employing difunctional phenols arevery apt to, and almost invariably do, yield solvent-soluble, fusible resins. However, when conventional procedures are employed in connectionv with, resins-for varnish manufacture or the like, there is involved the matter of color; solubility in oil, etc. When resins of the same type are manufactured for the herein contemplated purpose, i: e., as a raw material to be subjected to oxyalkylation, such criteria of selection are nolonger-pertinent. Stated another way, one may use more drastic conditions: of" resinification than those ordinarily employed to produce resins for the present purposes. Such mcredrastic conditions of resinifi'cation may include increased amounts offcatalyst, higher temperatures, longer time: of reaction, subsequent reaction involving heat; alone or in combination with vacuum, etc. Therefore, one is not only concerned with the resinification reactions which yield the bulk of ordinary resins from difuncti'onalt phenols but also and particularly with the minor reactions of;- ordinary resin manufacture which are of'import-ance-in the present invention for thereason that they occur under more drastic conditionsof resinification which may be employed advantageously: at times; and: they may leadto crossnk n Inithis connection it'may' bewell to point out thatpartof; these reactions are now understood on explainable to-a greater or lesserdegreein lightof. a most recent. investigation. Reference is; made tosthe. researches of Zinke and his. coworkers, Hultzsch and hisassociates, and.- to von. Eulen. and his coeworkers; and others. As to a; bibliography of such investigations, see Carswell, Phencplasts, chapter 2. These. investigators limited much of their work;to rea c tionsinvolving phenols having two or less reactive hydrogen atoms. Muchoi what appears in these most recent and most up-to-date in vestigations is pertinent. to the present inventioninsofarthat muchof it is'referr-ing to resinification involving. dif-unctional phenols.

Eorvthe. moment, it may- 13835111113181 to consider for the time that such resin, at least' under certain circumstances, issusceptible to further come.

plications. Subsequently in the text it will be pointed out that. cross-linking or reaction with excess formaldehyde may take place even withone of such most typical type resins. This point is made for thereason that insolublesmust be avoided in order to obtain theproducts herein contemplated for use as reactants.

The typical type of fusible resin obtained-i from a para-blocked or ortho-blocked phenol is clearly differentiated from the Novolak= type or resole type of resin. Unlike the resole-type, suchtypical type" para-blocked or ortho-blocked; phenol resin may beheated indefinitely without passing into an infusible stage, and in this respect is similar to a Novolak. Unlike the Novolaktype the addition of a further reactant, for instance, more aldehyde, does not ordinarily alter fusibility of the difunctional' phenol-aldehyde type resin; but such addition to a Novolak causes cross-linking by virtue of the available third functional position;

What has been said immediately preceding is subject to modification in this respect: It is well known, for example, that difunctional phenols, for instance, paratertiaryamylphenol,and an aldehyde, particularly formaldehyde, may yield heat-hardenable resins, at least under certain conditions, as for example the use of two moles of formaldehyde-to one of phenol, along with an alkaline catalyst. This peculiar hardening or curing or cross-linking; of resins obtained from difunctional phenols hasbeen recognized by various authorities.

The intermediates hereinused must be hydrophile or sub-surface-active or surface-active as hereinafter described, and this precludes the formation of insolubles during resin manufacture or thesubsequent stage of resin manufacture where heat alone, or heat and vacuum, are employed, or in the oxyalkylation procedure. Inits simplest presentation the rationale of resinification involving formaldehyde, for example, and a difunctional, phenol would not be expected to form cross-links. However, cross-linking sometimes occurs and it may reach the objectionable stage.

.However, provided that the preparationofresins simply takes, into cognizance the'present knowledge of the subject, and employing preliminary, exploratory routine examinations as herein indicated, there is not. the slightest diflicultyin preparinga very large number of resins of various types and from various reactants, and by means Of. different catalysts by different procedures, all of, which. are eminently suitable for the herein described purpose.

Now returning to thethought that cross-linking-roan takeplace, even when difunctional phenolsrareusedexclusively, attention is directed to thesfollowingz. Somewhere. during the, course of resin manufacture there; may be a potential cross-linking combination formed but actual crossslinking may not take-place until. the subse quent stage iszreached, i. e., heat and vacuum stage,;.or oxyalhylation stage. This situation may beirelated or explained in terms of a theory of flaws, or Lockerstellen, which is: employed in explainingflaw-forming groups due to the fact that a-CHzOH' radical and H atom may not lie'in the same plane in-the'manufacture ofordinary phenol-aldehyderesins.

Secondly, the formation orabsence. of formation Of insolubles may be related to the aldehyde used and the ratio of aldehyde, particularly formaldehyde, insofar that a slight variation may, under circumstances not understandable, produce insolubilization. The formation of the insoluble resin is apparently very sensitive to the quantity of formaldehyde employed and a slight increase in the proportion of formaldehyde may lead to the formation of insoluble gel lumps. The cause of insoluble resin formation is not clear, and nothing is known as to the structure of these resins.

All that has been said previously herein as regards resinification has avoided the specific reference to activity of a methylene hydrogen atom. Actually there is a possibility that under some drastic conditions cross-linking may take place through formaldehyde addition to the methylene bridge, or some other reaction involving a methylene hydrogen atom.

Finally, there is some evidence that, although the meta positions are not ordinarily reactive, possibly at times methylol groups or the like are formed at the meta positions; and if this were the case it may be a suitable explanation of abnormal cross -linking.

Reactivity of a resin towards excess aldehyde, for instance formaldehyde, is not to be taken as a criterion of rejection for use as a reactant. In other words, a phenol-aldehyde resin which is thermoplastic and solvent-soluble. particularly if xylene-soluble, is perfectly satisfactory even though retreatment with more aldehyde may change its characteristics markedly in regard to both fusibility and solubility. Stated another Way, as far as resins obtained from difunctional phenols are concerned. they may be either formaldehvde-resistant or not formaldehyde-resistant.

Referring again to the resins herein contemplated as reactants, it is to be noted that they are thermoplastic phenol-aldehyde resins derived from difunctional phenols and are clearly distinguished from Novolaks or resoles. When these resins are produced from difunctional phenols and some of the higher aliphatic aldehydes, such as acetaldehyde the resultant is often a comparatively soft or pitchlike resin at ordinary temperature. Such resins become comparatively fluid at 110 to 165 C. as a rule and thus can be readily oxyalkylated, preferably oxyethylated, without the use of a solvent.

Reference has been made to the use of the word fusible. Ordinarily a thermoplastic resin is identified as one which can be heated repeatedly and still not lose its thermoplasticity. It is recognized, however, that one may have a resin which is initially thermoplastic but on repeated heating may become insoluble in an organic solvent, or at least no longer thermoplastic, due to the fact that certain changes take place very slowly. As far as the present invention is concerned, it is obvious that a resin to be suitable need only be sufi'lciently fusible to permit processing to produce our oxyalkylated products and not yield insolubles or cause insolubilization or gel formation, or rubberiness, as previously described. Thus resins which are, strictly speaking, fusible but not necessarily thermoplastic in the most rigid sense that such terminology would be applied to the mechanical properties of a resin, are useful intermediates. The bulk of all fusible resins of the kind herein described are thermoplastic.

The fusible or thermoplastic resins, or solventsoluble resins, herein employed as reactants, are water-insoluble, or have no appreciable hydrophile properties. The hydrophile property i introduced by oxyalkylation. In the hereto appended claims and elsewhere the expression water-insoluble is used to point out this characteristic of the resins used.

In the manufacture of compounds herein employed, particularly for demulsification, it is obvious that the resins can be obtained by one of a number of procedures. In the first place, suitable resins are marketed by a number of companies and can be purchased in the open market; in the second place, there are a wealth of examples of suitable resins described in the literature. The third procedure is to follow the directions of the present application.

The polyhydric reactants, i. e., the oxyalkylation-suscep ible, water-insoluble, organic solventsoluble, fusible, phenol-aldehyde resins derived from difunctional phenols, used as intermediates to produce the products used in accordance with the invention, are exemplified by Examples Nos. 1a. through 103a. of our Patent 2,499.370, granted March '7, 1950, and reference is made to that patent for examples of the oxyalkylated resins used as intermediates.

Previous reference has been made to the use of a single phenol as herein specified. or a single reactive aldehyde, or a single oxvalkylating agent. Obviously, mixtures of reactants may be employed, as for example a mixture of para-butylphenol and para-amylphenol, or a mixture of para-butylphenol and para-hexylphenol, or parabutylphenol and para-phenylphenol. It is extremely difiicult to depict the structure of a resin derived from a single phenol. When mixtures of phenols are used, even in equimolar proportions, the structure of the resin is even more indeterminable. In other words, a mixture involving para-butylphenol and para-amylphenol might have an alternation of the two nuclei or one might have a series of butylated nuclei and then a series of amylacid nuc ei. If a mixture of aldehydes is employed, for instance, acetaldehyde and butyraldehyde, or acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, or benzaldehyde and acetaldehyde, the final structure of the resin becomes even more complicated and possibly depends on the relative reactivity of the aldehydes. For that matter, one might be producing simultaneously two different resins, in what would actually be a mechanical mixture, although such mixture might exhibit some unique properties as compared with a mixture of the same two resins prepared separately. Similarly, as has been suggested, one might use a combination of oxyalkylating agents; for instance, one might partially oxyalkylate with ethylene oxide and then finish off with propylene oxide. It is understood that the oxyalkylated derivatives of such resins, derived from such plurality of reactants, instead of being limited to a single reactant from each of the three classes, is contemplated and here included for the reason that they are obvious variants.

PART 2 Having obtained a suitable resin of the kind described, such resin is subjected to treatment with a low molal reactive alpha-beta olefin oxide so as to render the product distinctly hydrophile answer;

innat'ureias. indicated b'y-therfact that it becomes self-emulsifiableior miscible. or soluble in water, or. self-dispersible, or has emulsifying prop erties'.

The olefin oxides employed are characterized-by the: fact that they contain not over 4:- carbon atoms and are selected iromthe class consisting.

ofethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, glycide, and methylglycide. Glycide may be, of course, considered as a hydroxy propylene oxide and methyl. glycideas a-hydroxy butylene oxide. In any. event, however, all. such reactants contain the reactive ethylene oxide ring and may be best considered as derivatives of, or substituted ethylene oxides. The solubilizing effect of the oxide is directly proportionalto the percentage of oxygenpresent, or specifically; to theoxygencarbon ratio.

In ethylene oxide, the oxygen-carbon ratio is 1:2. In glycide, it is 2:3; and in methyl glycide, 1:2. In such compounds, the ratio is very favorable to the production or hydrophile or surfaceactive properties. However, the ratio, in propylene oxide, is 1:3, and in butylene oxide, 114. Gbviously, such latter two reactants are satisfactorily employed only where the resin composition' is such as to make incorporation of the desired property practical. In other cases, they may produce marginally satisfactory derivatives, or even unsatisfactory derivatives. They are usable in conjunction with the three more-favorable alkylene oxides in all cases. For instance, after one or several propylene oxide or butylene oxide molecules have been at'iached t'o the resin molecule, oxyalkylation may be satisfactorily continued using-the more favorable members of the class, to produce the desired hydrophile product. Usedalone, these two reagents may in some cases fail-to produce suihciently hydrophile derivatives because of their relatively low oxygen-carbon ratios.

Thus, ethylene oxide is much more efiective than propylene oxide, and propylene oxidei's more effective than butylene oxide. Hydroxy propylene oxide (glycide) ismore effective than propylene oxide. Similarly, hydroxy butyleneoxide (methyl glycide) is more effective than butylene oxide. Since ethylene oxide is thecheapest alkylene oxide-available and is reactive; it's-use -is definitely advantageous, and especially in light of-its high oxygen content. Propylene oxide is less reactive than ethylene oxide, and butylene oxide is definitely less reactive than propylene oxide. On the other hand, glycide may react with" almost explosive violence and must be handled with extremegcare;

The oxyalkylation of resins of the kind from which the initial reactants used in the-practice of thepresent invention are prepared is advantageously catalyzed by the presence of an alkali. Useful alkaline catalysts include soaps, sodium acetate, sodium hydroxide, sodium methylate, caustic potash, etc. The amount of alkalinecatalyst usually is between 0.2% to 2% The temperature employed may vary from room temperature to as high as 200 C. The reaction may be conducted with or without pressure, i. e., from zero pressure to approximately 2G0 or even. 300 pounds gauge pressure (pounds per square inch). In a general way, the method employed is substantially the same procedure as used for oxyalkylation of other organic materials havingv reactive phenolic groups.

Itmay be necessary to allow for. the acidity of, aresin in determining the amount of alkaline catalyst to be added in oxyalkylation. For instance;;if a'nonvolatile strong-acid suchassuliuric acid is used to catalyze the resinification reaction, presumably after being converted into a sulfonicacid, it may be necessary and is usually advantageous? to add an amount of alkali equal. stoichiometrically. to such acidity, and include added alkali over and abovethis amount as thealkaline catalyst.

It is advantageousto conduct-the oxyethylation inpresence of an inert solvent. such as xylene, cymene, decalin,ethylene-glycol diethylether, diethylenegly-col diethylether, or the like, although with many resins, the oxyalkylation proceeds satisfactorily without a solvent. Since xylene is cheap andmay be permitted to be present in the final product used as ademulsifier, it is our pref?- erence to use xylene. Thisisparticularly true in the manufacture, of products from low-stage resins-i. e., of 3 and up to and including 7 units per molecule.

It axylene solution is used in an autoclave as hereinafter-indicated, the pressure. readingsof course represent. total pressure, that is, the. combined pressure due to. xylene and also due. to ethylene oxide or whatever other oxyalkylating agent is used. Under such circumstances it may be necessary at times to use substantial pressures to obtainefiective results, forinstance, pressures up to-300 vpounds along. with correspondingly high temperatures, if. required.

However, even-in-the instance. of high-melting resinsfiasolventsuch a xylene can be eliminated in either oneof two ways. After. the introduction of approximatelyv 2.01. 3 moles of ethylene oxide, for example, per phenolic nucleus, there is a definite. drop. in the hardnessand melting point of. the resin. At this stage, if xylene or a similar solvent has beenadded, it can be eliminated by distillation (vacuum distillation if desired) and the subsequent intermediate, being comparatively soft and. solvent-free, can be reacted further in the usual manner with ethylene oxide or some other suitable reactant.

Another procedure is to continue the reaction to completionwith such solvent present and then eliminate the solventby distillation inthe customary manner.

Another suitable procedureis to use propylene oxide. or butylene'oxide as a solvent as well as a reactant in the. earlier stages along with ethylene oxide, for instance, by dissolving the powdered resin in propylene oxide even though oxyalkylation is'taking place to a greater or lesser degree. After a solutionhas been obtained which represents the original resin dissolved in propylene oxide or butylene oxide, or a mixture which includes the oxyalkylated. product, ethylene oxide is addedto-react with the liquid mass until hydro-phile properties are obtained. Since ethylene oxide is more reactive than propylene oxide or butylene oxide,. the final product may contain some unreacted propylene oxide or butylene oxide which can be eliminated by volatilization or distillation in any suitablemanner.

Attention is directed to the fact that the resins herein described must be fusible or soluble in an organic solvent. Fusible resins invariably are soluble in one or more organic solvents such as thosem'entioned elsewhere. herein. It is to be emphasized, however, that the organic solvent employed to indicate or assure that. the resin meets this requirement neednot be the One used in oxyalkylation. Indeed, solvents which are susceptible to oxyalkylation are included'in this 17 group of organic solvents. Examples of such s01- vents are alcohols and alcohol-ethers. However, where a resin is soluble in an organic solvent, there are usually available other organic solvents which are not susceptible to oxyalkylation, useful for the oxyalkylation step. In any event, the organic solvent-soluble resin can be finely powdered, for instance to 100 to 200 mesh, and a slurry or suspension prepared in xylene or the like, and subjected to oxyalkylation. The fact that the resin is soluble in an organic solvent or the fact that it is fusible means that it consists of separate molecules. Phenol-aldehyde resins of the type herein specified possess reactive hydroxyl groups and are oxyalkylation susceptible.

Considerable of what is said immediately hereinafter is concerned with ability to vary the hydrophile properties of the hydroxylated intermediate reactants from minimum hydrophile properties to maximum hydrophile properties. Such properties in turn, of course, are effected subsequently by the acid employed for esterification and the quantitative nature of the esterification itself, i. e., whether it is total or partial, and also by the nitrogen heterocyclic compound used to obtain the final product for use in the process of the present invention. It may be well, however, to point out what has been said elsewhere in regard to the hydroxylated intermediate reactants. See, for example, our co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 8,730 and 8,731, both filed February 16,1948, and Serial No. 42,133, filed August 2, 1948, and Serial No. 42,134, filed August 2, L348 (all four cases now abandoned). The reason is that the reactions, depending on the acid and the nitrogen heterocyclic compound selected, may vary the hydrophile-hydrophobe balance in one direction or the other, and also invariably auses the development of some property which makes it inherently different from the reactants from which the derivative is obtained.

Referring to the hydrophile hydroxylated intermediates, even more remarkable and equally difiicult to explain, are the versatility and the utility of these compounds considered as chemical reactants as one goes from minimum hydrophile property to ultimate maximum hydrophile property. For instance, minimum hydrophile property may be described roughly as the point where two ethyleneoxy radicals or moderately in excess r thereof are introduced per phenolic hydroxyl. Such minimum hydrophile property or sub-surfaceactivity or minimum surface-activity means "that the product shows at least emulsifyin properties or self-dispersion in cold or even in warm distilled water (15. to 40 C.) in concentrations of 0.5% to 5.0%. These materials are generally more soluble in cold water than warm water, and may even be very insoluble in boiling water. Moderately high temperatures aid in reducing the viscosity of the solute under examination. Sometimes if one continues to shake a hot solution, even though cloudy or containing an insoluble phase, one finds that solution takes place to give a homogeneous phase as the mixture cools. Such self-dispersion tests are conducted in the absence of an insoluble solvent.

When the hydrophile-hydrophobe balance is above the indicated minimum (2 moles of ethylene oxide per phenolic nucleus or the equivalent) but insufficient to give a sol as described immediately preceding, then, and in that event hydrophile properties are indicated by the fact that one can produce an emulsion by having present 10% to 50% of an inert solvent such as xylene. All that one need to do is to have a xylene solution within the range of 50 to 90 parts by weight of oxyalkylated derivatives and 50 to 10 parts by weight of xylene and mix such solution with one, two or three times its volume of distilled water and shake vigorously so as to obtain an emulsion which may be of the oil-in-Water type or the water-in-oil type (usually the former) but, in any event, is due to the hydrophile-hydrophobe balance of the oxyalkylated derivative. We prefer simply to use the xylene diluted derivatives, which are described elsewhere, for this test rather than evaporate the solvent and employ any more elaborate tests, if the solubility'is not sufiicient to permit the simple sol test in water previously noted.

If the product is not readily water soluble it may be dissolved in ethyl or methyl alcohol, ethylene lycol diethylether, or diethylene glycol diethylether, with a little acetone added if required, making a rather concentrated solution, for instance 40% to 50%, and then adding enough of the concentrated alcoholic or equivalent solution to give the previously suggested 05% to 5.0% strength solution. If the product is self-dispensing (i. e., if the oxyalkylated product is a liquid or a liquid solution, self-emulsifiable) such sol or dispersion is referred to as at least semi-stable in the sense that sols, emulsions, or dipersions prepared are relatively stable, if they remain at least for some period of time, for instance 30 minutes to two hours, before showing any marked separation. Such tests are conducted at room temperature (22 0.). Needless to say, a test can be made in presence of an insoluble solvent such as 5% to 15% of xylene, as noted in previous examples. If such mixture, i. e., containing a water-insoluble solvent, is at least semi-stable, obviously the solvent-free product would be even more so. Surface-activity representing an advanced hydrophile-hydrophobe balance can also be determined by the use of conventional measurements hereinafter described. One outstanding characteristic property indicating surface-activity in a material is the ability to form a permanent foam in dilute aqueous solution, for example, less than 0.5%, when in the higher oxyalkylated stage, and to form an emulsion in the lower and intermediate stages of oxyalkylation.

Allowance must be made for the presence of a solvent in the final product in relation to the hydrophile properties of the final product. The principle involved in the manufacture of the herein contemplated compounds for use as polyhydric reactants, is based on the conversion of a hydrophobe or non-hydrophile compound or mixture of compounds into products which are distinctly hydrophile, at least to the extent that they have emulsifying properties or are selfemulsifying; that is, when shaken with water they produce stable or semi-stable suspensions,

emulsifying agent. fying agents such as mahogany soap may pro- -readily dispersible.

comparable to ordinary surface-active agents. Such conventional surfaceeactivity may be measured by determining the surface tension and the 'interfacial tension against paraflin oil or the like. .At the initial and lower stages of oxyalkylation,

surface-activity is not suitably determined in this same manner but one may employ an emulsification test. Emulsions come into existence as a rule through the presence of a surface-active Some surface-active emulsiduce a water-in-oil emulsion or an oil-in-water emulsion depending upon the ratio of the two phases, degree of agitation, concentration oi stage of oxyalkylation, the so-called sub-surface-active stage. The surface-active properties are readily demonstrated by producing a xylene-Water emulsion. A suitable procedure is as follows: The oxyalkylated resin is dissolved in an equal weight of xylene. Such 50-50 solution is then mixed with 1-3 volumes of water and shaken to produce an emulsion. The amount of xylene is invariably sufiicient to reduce even a tacky resinous product to a solution which is The emulsions so produced are usually xylene-in-water emulsions- (oil-inwater type) particularly when the amount of dis- .tilled water used is at least slightly in excess of .the volume of xylene solution and also if shaken vigorously. At times, particularly in the lowest stage of oxyalkylation, one may obtain a. waterin-xylene emulsion (water-in-oil type) which is apt to reverse on more vigorous shakin and further dilution with water.

If in doubt as to this property, comparison with a resin obtained from para-tertiary butylphenol and formaldehyde (ratio 1 part phenol to 1.1 formaldehyde) using an acid catalyst. and then followed by oxyalkylation using 2 moles of ethylene oxide for each phenolic hydroxyl, is helpful. Such resin prior to oxyalkylation has a molecular weight indicating about 4 /2 units per resin mole; 1.

Such resin, when diluted with an. equal .weight of xylene, will serve to illustrate the. above emulsification test.

.In a few instances, the resin may not be sufficiently soluble in xylene alone but may require the additon of some ethylene glycol diethylether as described elsewhere. It is understood that such mixture, or any other similar mixture, is considered the equivalent; of xylene for the purpose of this test.

In many cases, there is no doubt as. to the pres.-

ence or absence of hydrophile or surface-active characteristics in the polyhydric reactants used in accordance with this invention. They dissolveor disperse in water; and such dispersions parison can be made with the-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin analog wherein 2 moles of ethylene oxide have been introduced for each phenolic nucleus.

The presence of xylene or an equivalent-waterinsoluble solvent may mask the point at which a solvent-free product on mere dilution in a test tube exhibits self-emulsification. For this reason, if it is desirable to determine the approximate point where self-emulsification begins, then it is better to eliminate the xylene or equivalent from a small portion of the reaction mixture and test such portion. In some cases, such xylenefree resultant may show initial or incipient hydrophile properties, whereas in presence of xylene such properties would not be noted. In other cases, the first objective indication of hydrophile properties may be the capacity of the material to emulsify an insoluble solvent such as xylene. It. isto be emphasized that hydrophile properties herein referred to are such as those exhibited by incipient self-emulsification or the presence of emulsifying properties and go through the range of homogeneous dispersibility or admixture with water even in presence of added water-insoluble solvent and minor proportions of common electrolytes as occur in oil field brines.

Elsewhere, it is pointed out that an emulsification test may be. used to determine ranges of surface-activity and that such emulsification tests employ a xylene solution; Stated another way, it is really immaterial whether a xylene solution produces a sol or whether it merely produoes an emulsion.

In light of what has been said previously in regard to the variation of range of hydrophile properties, and also in light of what has been said as to the variation in the effectiveness of various alkylene oxides, and most particularly of all ethylene oxide, to introduce. hydrophile character, it becomes obvious that there is a wide variation in the amount of alkylene oxide employed, as long as it is at least 2 moles per phenolic nucleus, for producing products useful for the practice of this invention. Another variation is the molecular size. of the resin chain resulting from reaction. between the difunctional phenol and the aldehyde such as formaldehyde. It is well known that the size and nature or structure of the resin polymer obtained varies somewhat with the conditions of reaction, the proportions of reactants, the nature of the catalyst, etc.

Based on molecular weight determinations, most of the resins prepared as herein described, particularly in the absence of a secondary heating step, contain 3 to 6 or 7 phenolic nuclei with approximately 4 /2 or 5 /2 nuclei as an average. More drastic conditions of resinification yield resins of greater chain length. Such more intensive resinification is a conventional procedure and may be employed if desired. Molecular weight, of course, is measured by any suitable procedure, particularly by cryoscopic methods; but using the same reactants. and using more drastic conditions of resinification one usually finds that higher molecular weights are indicated by higher melting pointsof the resins and. a tend.- ency to decreased solubility. See what has been said elsewhere herein in regard to a secondary step involving the. heating of a resin with or without the use of vacuum. 7

We have previously pointed out that either an alkaline or acid catalyst is advantageously used in preparing the; resin. A combination of catalysts is sometimes used in two stages; for instance, an alkaline catalyst is sometimes employed in a first stage, followed by neutralization and addition ofa small amount ofacid catalyst in a second stage. It is generally believed that even. in the presence of analkaline catalyst, the number of moles of aldehyde, such as formaldehyde, must be greater than the. moles ofphenol employed in order to introduce methylol groups in the intermediate stage. There is no indication that such groups appear in the final resin if prepared by the use of an acid catalyst. It is possible that such groups may appear in the finished resins prepared solely with an alkaline catalyst; but we have never been able to confirm this fact in an examination of a large number of resins prepared by ourselves. Our preference, however, is to use an acid-catalyzed resin, particularly employing a formaldehyde-to-phenol ratio. of 0.95 to 1.20 and, as far as we have been able to determine, such resins are free from methylol groups. As a matter of fact, it is probable that in acid-catalyzed resinifications, the methylol structure may appear only momentarily at the very beginning of the reaction and in all prob ability is converted at once into a more complex structure during the intermediate stage.

One procedure which can be employed in the use of a new resin to prepare polyhydric, reactants for use in the preparation of compounds employed in thev present invention, is to determine the hydroxyl value by the Verley-Biilsing method or its equivalent. The resin as such, or in the form of a solution as described, is then treated with ethylene oxide in presence of 0.5 to 2% of sodium methylate as a catalyst in stepwise fashion. The conditions of reaction, as far as time or per cent are concerned, are within the range previously indicated. With suitable agitation the ethylene oxide, if added in molecular proportion, combines within a comparatively short time, for instance a few minutes to 2 to 6 hours, but in some instances requires as much as 8 to 24 hours. A useful temperature range is from 125 to 225 C. The completion of the reaction of each addition of ethylene oxide in step-wise fashion is usually indicated by the reduction or elimination of pressure. amount conveniently used for each addition is generally equivalent to a mole or two moles of ethylene oxide per hydroxyl radical. When the amount of ethylene oxide added is equivalent to approximately 50% by weight of the original resin, a sample is tested for incipient hydrophile properties by simply shaking up in water as is, orafter the elimination of the solvent if a solvent is present. The amount of ethylene oxide used to obtain a useful demulsifying agent as a rule varies from 70% by weight of the Original resin to as much as five or six times the Weight of the original resin. In the case of a resin derived from para-tertiary"'butylphenol, as little as 50% by weight of ethylene oxide may give suitable solubility. With propylene oxide, even a greater molecular proportion is required and sometimes a resultant of only limited hydrophile properties is obtainable. The same is true to even a greater extent with butylene oxide. The hydroxylated alkylene oxides are more eifective in solubilizing properties than the comparable compounds in which no hydroxyl is present.

Attention is directed to the fact that in the subsequent examples reference is made to the stepwise addition of the alkylene oxide, such as ethylene oxide. It is understood, of course, there is no objection to the continuous addition of alkylene oxide until the desired stage of reaction is reached. In fact, there may be less of a hazard involved and it is often advantageous to add the alkylene oxide slowly in a continuous stream and in such amount as to avoid exceeding the higher pressures noted in the various examples or elsew e It may be well to emphasize the fact that when resins are produced from difunctional phenols and some of the higher aliphatic aldehydes, such as acetaldehyde, the resultant is a comparatively soft or pitch-like resin at ordinary temperatures. Such resins become comparatively fluid at to C. as a rule, and thus can be readily oxyalkylated preferably oxyethylated, without the use of a solvent.

What has been said previously is not intended to suggest that any experimentation is necessary to determine the degree of oxyalkylation, and particularly oxyethylation. What has been said previously is submitted primarily to emphasize the fact that these remarkable oxyalkylated resins having surface activity show unusual properties as the hydrophile character varies from a minimum to an ultimate maximum. One should not underestimate the utility of any of these polyhydric alcohols in a surface-active or subsurface-active range without examining them by reaction with a number of the typical acids and nitrogen heterocyclic compounds herein described and subsequently examining the resultant for utility, either in demulsification or in some other art or industry as referred to elsewhere, or as a reactant for the manufacture of more complicated derivatives. A few simple laboratory tests which can be conducted in a routine manner will usually give all the information that is required.

For instance, a simple rule to follow is to prepare a resin having at least three phenolic nuclei and being organic solvent-soluble. Oxyethyiate such resin, using the following four ratios of moles of ethylene oxide per phenolic unit equivalent: 2 to 1; 6 to 1; 10 to 1; and 15 to 1. From a sample of each product remove any solvent that may be present, such as xylene. Prepare 0.5% and 5.0% solutions in distilled water, as previously indicated. A mere examination of such series will generally reveal an approximate range of minimum hydrophile character, moderate hydrophile character, and maximum hydrophile character. If the 2 to 1 ratio does not show minimum hydrophiie character by test of the solvent-free product,

then one should test its capacity to form an emulsion when admixed with xylene or other insoluble solvent. If neither test shows the required minimum hydrophile property, repetition using 2%; to 4 moles per phenolic nucleus will serve. Moderate hydrophile character should be shown by either the 6 to 1 or 10 to 1 ratio. Such moderate hydrophile character is indicated by the fact that the sol in distilled water within the previously mentioned concentration range is a permanent translucent sol when viewed in a comparatively thin layer, for instance the depth of a test tube. Ultimate hydrophile character is usually shown at the 15 to 1 ratio test in that adding a small amount of an insoluble solvent, for instance 5% of xylene, yields a product which will give, at least temporarily, a transparent or translucent sol of the kind just described. The formation of a per manent foam, when a 0.5% to 5.0% aqueous solution is shaken, is an excellent test for surface activity. Previous reference has been made to the fact that other oxyalkylating agents may require the use of increased amounts of alkylene oxide. However, if one does not even care to go to the trouble of calculating molecular weights, one can simply arbitrarily prepare compounds containing ethylene oxide equivalent to about 50% to 75% by weight, for example 65% by weight, of the resin to be oxyethylated; a second example using approximately 200% to 300% by weight,

Pounds ofEthylene Oxide Added per Percentages 8-pound Batch Oxyethylation to 750% can usually be completed within 30 hours and frequently more quickly.

The samples taken are rather small, for instance, 2 to 4 ounces, so that no correction need be made in regard to the residual reaction mass. Each sample is divided in two. One-half the sample is placed in an evaporating dish on the steam bath overnight so as to eliminate the xylene. .Then 1.5% solutions are prepared from both series of samples, i. e.. the series with xylene present and the serieswith xylene removed. Mer'evisual examinationof e any samples in solution may be sumcient to indicate hydrophile character or surface activity,- i.e., the product islsoluble, forming a colloidal sol, or the aque ous-solutionfoa'ms' or shows emulsifying property; *All these properties are related through adsorption at the interface, for example, a gas-liquid interface or a liquid-liquid interface. If desired, surface activity can be measured in any one of the usual ways using a Du Nouy tensiometer or dropping pipette, or any other procedure for measuring interfacial tension. Such tests are conventional and require no further description. Any compound having sub-surface-activity, and all derived from the same resin and oxyalkylated to a greater extent, 1. e., those having a greater proportion of alkylene oxide, are useful as polyhydric reactants for the practice of this invention.

. Another reason why we prefer to use a pilot plant test of the kind above described is that we ca'nfuse the same procedure to evaluate tolerance towards a trifunctional phenol such as hydroxybenzene or metacresol satisfactorily. Previous':reference has been made to the fact that one; can' conduct a laboratory scale test which will indicate whether or not aresin," although SQ'lIlblefTllI solvent,iwillfiyield an in'solubl'e rub bery product, i. e, a product which is neither hy-' drophile nor surface-active, upon oxyethylaticn, particula lv extensive oxyethylation. It is also obvious that one may have a solvent-soluble resin derived from a mixture of phenols having present 1% or2 of a trifunctional phenol which will resulttin an insoluble rubpe'r at the ultimate stages :of. oxyethylation but not inthe earlier stages. In other words, withresins from some such phenols, addition of 2 or 3 moles of the oxyalkylating agent per phenolic nucleus, particularly' ethylene oxide, gives a surface-active reactantzwhich is. perfectly satisfactory, -while more, extensive oxyethylation yiellds an insoluble rubber, that is, an unsuitable reactant. It is obvious that this present procedure of evaluating trifunctional phenol tolerance is more suit-- able than the previous procedure.

It may be well to call attention to one result which may be noted in a long drawn-out oxyalkylation, particularly oxyethylaticn, which would not appear in a normally conducted reaction. Reference has been made to cross-linking and its effect on solubility and also the fact that, if carried far enough, it causes incipient stringiness, then pronounced stringiness, usually followed by a semi-rubbery or rubbery stage. Incipient stringinessgor even pronounced stringiness; or even the tendency toward a rubbery stage, is not objectionable so long as the final product is still hydrophile and at least sub-surface-active. Such material frequently is best mixed with a polar solvent, such as alcohol or the like, and preferably an alcoholic solution is used. The point which we want to make here, however, is this: Stringiness or rubberization at this stage may possibly be the result of etherification. Obviously if a difunctional phenol and an aldehyde produce a non-cross-linked resin molecule and if such molecule is oxyalkylated so as to introduce a plurality of hydroxyl groups in each molecule, then and in that even if subsequent etherification takes place, one is going to obtain cross-linking in the same general way that one would obtain crosslinking in other resin fication reactions. Ordi-e narily there is little or no tendency toward etherification during the oxyalkylation step. If it does take place at all, it is only to an insignificant and undetectable degree. However, suppose that a certain weight of resin is treated with an equal weight of, or twice its weight of, ethylene oxide, This may be done in a comparatively short time, for instance, at or C. in 4 to 8 hours, or even less. On the other hand, if in an exploratory reaction, such as the kind previously described, the ethylene oxide were added extremely slowly in order to take stepwise samples, so that the reaction required 4 or 5 times as long to introduce an equal amount of ethylene oxide employing the same temperature, then etherification might cause stringiness or a suggestion of rubberiness. For this reason if in an exploratory experiment of the kind previously described there appears to be any stringiness or rubberiness, it may be well to repeat the experiment and reach the intermediate stage of oxyalkylation as rap dly as possible and then proceed slowly beyond this intermediate stage. The en- ..tire purpose of this modified procedure is to cut down the time of reaction so as to avoid etheri fication if it be caused by the extended time period.

It may be well to" note one. peculiar reaction somet mes noted in the course of oxyalkylation, particularly oxyethylation, of the thermoplastic resins herein described. This effect is notedin a case Where a thermoplastic resin has been oxyalkylated, for instance, oxyethylated, until it gives a perfectly clear solution, even in the presence of some accompanying water-insoluble solvent such as 10% to 15% of xylene. Further oxyalkylation, particularly oxyethylaticn, may then yield a product which, instead of giving 'a. clear solution as previously, gives a very milky solution suggesting that some marked change has taken place. One explanation of the above change is that the structural unit indicated in the following way where 8n is a fairly large numnoted.

HC BH H I H I "This fact, of course, presents no difiiculty for the reason that oxyalkylation can be conducted in each instance stepwise, or at a gradual rate, and samples taken at short intervals so as to arrive at a point where optimum surface activity 'or hydrophile character is obtained if desired;

-for products for use as polyhydric reactants in the practice of this invention, this is not necessary and, in fact, may be undesirable, i, e., reduce the efiiciency of the product.

We do not know to what extent oxyalkylation produces uniform distribution in regard to pheholic hydroxyls present in the resin molecule. In some instances, of course, such distribution can not be uniform for the reason that we have not specified that the molecules of ethylene oxide, for example, be added in multiples of the units present in the resin molecule. This may be illustrated in the following manner:

, Suppose the resin happens to have five phenolic nuclei. If a minimum of two moles of ethylene oxide per phenolic nucleus are added, this would mean an addit on of moles of ethylene oxide, but suppose that one added. 11 moles of ethylene oxide, or 12, or 13, or 14 moles; obviously, even assuming the most un form distribution pos 'sible, some of the polyethyleneoxy radicals would contain 3 ethyleneoxy units and some would contain 2. Therefore, it is impossible to specify uniform distributionin regard to the entrance of thejethylene oxide or other oxyalkylating agent. For that matter, if one were to introduce moles of ethylene oxide there is no way to be certain that all chains of ethyleneoxy units would have 5 units; there might be some having, for example, 4; and 6 units, orfor that matter .3 or 7 units. Nor is there any basis for assuming that the number of molecules of the oxyalkylating agent added to each of the molecules of the resin is the same, or different. Thus, where formulae are given to illustrate or depict the oxyalkylate d products, distributions of radicals indicated are to be statistically taken. We have, however, included specific directions and specifications in regard to the total amount of ethylene oxide, or total amount of any other oxyalkylating agent, to

add.

In regard to solubilty of the resins and the oxyalklated compounds, and for that matter derivatives of the latter, the following should be In oxyalkylation, any solvent employed should be non-reactive to the alkylene oxide employed. This limitation does not apply tosolvents used in cryoscopic determinations for obvious reasons. Attention is directed to the fact that various organic solvents may be employed to verify that the resin is organic solvent-soluble.

Such solubility test merely characterizes the res- 'in. The particular solvent used in such test may a not be suitable for a molecular weight determination andlikewisathe solvent usedindetermin- ,devices'.

'ing molecular weight may not be suitable as a solvent during oxyalkylation. For solutionof theoxy alkylated compounds, or their derivatives a great variety of solvents may be employed, such as alcohols, ether alcohols, cresols, phenols, ketones,

esters, etc., alone or With the addition of water. Some of these are mentioned hereat f ter. We prefer the use of benzene or dipheriylamine as a solvent in makingcryoscopic measurements. The most satisfactory resins are those which are soluble in xylene or the like, rather than those which are soluble only in some other solvent containing elements other'than carbon'and hydrogen, for instance, oxygen or chlorine. Such solvents are usually polar, semi-polar, or slightly polar in nature compared with xylene, cymen etc.

Reference to cryoscopic measurement is concerned with the use of benzene or other suitable compound as a solvent. Such method will show that conventional resins obtained, for example, from para-tertiary amylphenol and formaldehyde. in presence of an acidcatalyst, will have a molecular Weight indicating 3, 4, 5 or somewhat greater number of structural units per molecule. If more drastic conditions of resinification are employed orii Such low-stage resin is subjected to a vacuum distillation treatment as previously described, one obtains a resin of a'distinctly higher molecular weight. Any molecular weight determination used, whether cryoscopic measurement or otherwise, other than the conventional cryoscopic one employing henzene, should be checked so as to insure that it gives consistent values on such conventional resins as a control. Frequently all that is necessary to make an approximation of the molecu lar weight range is to make a comparison with the dimer obtained by chemical combination of two moles of the same phenol, and one mole of the same aldehyde under conditions to insure dmerization. As to the preparation of such dimers from substituted phenols, see Carswell, Phenoplasts, page 31. The increased viscosity, resinous character, and decreased solubility, etc, of the higher polymers in comparison with the dimer, frequently are all that is required to establish that the resin, contains 3 or more structural units permolecule. Ordinarily, the oxyalkylation' is carried out in autoclaves provided with agitators or stirring We have-found thatrthe speed of the agitation markedly influences the reaction time. Insomecases, the chan e from slow speed can t'ation, for example, in a laboratory autoclave agitation with a stirrer operating at a speed of to 200 R.'P. M., to high speed agitation, with the stirrer operating at .250 to 350 R. P. M., re-

duces the time required for oxyalkylation by sequent elimination or curtailment of opportunity for curing or etherization. Even if the formation of an insoluble product is not involved, it is frequently advantageous to speed up the reaction, thereby reducing production time, by in-- cre'asinga'gitating speed. In large scale operations, We have demonstrated that economical manufacturing results from continuous oxyalkylation, that is, an operation in which the alkylene oxide is continuously fed to the reaction ves- Sol, with high speed agitation, i. e., an agitator operating at 250 to 350 R. P. M. Continuous oxyalkylation, other conditions being the same, is more rapid than batch oxyallrylation, but the latter is ordinarily more convenient for laboratory operation. Q

Previous reference has b:en made to the fact that in preparing compounds of the kind herein described. particularly adapted for demulsification of Water-in-oil emulsions, and for that matter for other purposes, one should make a complete exploration of the wide variation in hydrophobe-hydrophile balance as previously referred to. It has been stated, furthermore, that this hydrophobe-hydrophile balance of the oxyalkylated resins is imparted, as far as the range of variation gas, to a greater or. lesser extent to the herein described derivatives. Thismeans that one employing the present invention should take the choice of the most suitable derivative selected from a number of representative compounds, thus, not only should a variety of resins be prepared exhibiting a variety of oxyalkylations, particularly oxyethylations, but also a variety of derivatives. This can be done conveniently in light of what has been said previously. From a practical standpoint-using pilot plant equipment, for instance, an autoclave having a capacityof approximately three to five gallons. We have made a single run by appropriate selections in which the molal ratio of resin equivalent to ethylene oxide is one to one, 1 to 5, 1 to 10, l to 15,.and 1 to 20. Furthermore, in making th se particular runs we have used continuous addition of ethylene oxide. In the continuous addition of ethylene oxide we have employed either a cylinder of ethylene oxide without added nitrogen, provided that the pressure of the ethylene oxide was sufficiently greatto pass into the autoclave, or else we have usedan arrangement which, in essence, was the equivalent of an ethylene oxide cylinder with a means for injecting nitrogen so as to force out the ethylene oxide in the manner of an ordinary seltzer bottle, combined with the means for either weighing the cylinder or measuring the ethylene oxide used volum.trically. Such procedure and arrangement for injecting liquids is, of course, conventional. The following data sheets exemplify such operations, i. e., the combination of both .continuous agitation and taking samples so as'toQgive five different variants in oxyethylation. @In adding ethylene oxide continuously, there is one precaution which must be taken at all times. The addition of ethylene oxide must stop immediately if there is any indication that reaction is stopped or, obviously, if reaction is not started at the beginning of the reaction period. Since the addition of ethylene oxide is invariably an exothermic reaction, whether or not reaction has taken place can be judged in the 30 usual manner by observing (a) temperature rise or drop, if any, (1)) amount of cooling water or other means required to dissipate heat of reaction; thus, if there is a temperature drop without the use of cooling water or equivalent, or if "there is no rise in temperature without using cooling water control, careful investigation should be made.

In the tables immediately following, we are showing the maximum temperature which is usually the operating temperature. In other words, by experience we have found that if the initial reactants are raised to the indicated temperature and th-n if ethylene oxide is added slowly, this temperature is maintained by cooling water until the oxyethylation is complete. We have also indicated the maximum pressure that we obtained or the pressure range. Likewise, we have indicated the time required to inject the ethylene oxide as well as a brief note as to the solubility of the product at the end of the oxyethylation period. As one period ends it'will be noted we have removed part of the oxyethylated mass to give us derivatives, as therein described; the rest has been subjected to further treatment. All this is apparent by examining the columns headed Starting mix, Mix at end of reaction, Mix which is removed for sample, and Mix which remains as next starter.

The resins employed are prepared in the manner described in Examples 1a through 103a of our said Patent 2,499,370, except that instead of being prepared on a laboratory scale they were prepared in 10 to l5-gallon electro-vapor heated synthetic resin pilot plant reactors, as manufactured by the Blew-Knox Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and completely described in their Bulletin No. 2087 issu-d in 1947, with specific reference to Specification No. 71-3965,

For convenience, the following tables give the numbers of the examples of our said Patent 2,499,370 in which the preparation of identical resins on laboratory scale are described. It is understood that in the following examples, the change is one with respect to the size of the operation.

The solvent used in each instance was xylene. This solvent is particularly satisfactory for the reason that it can be removed readily by distillation or vacuum distillation. In these continuous experiments the speed of the stirrer in the autoclave was 250 R. P. M.

In examining the subsequent tables it will be noted that if a comparatively small sample is taken at each stage, for instance, to one gallon,

one can proce.d through the entire molal stageof 1 to 1, to 1 to 20, without remaking at any intermediate stage. This is illustrated by Example 1041). In other examples we found it desirable to take a larger sample, for illStfiIlCEgfl; B-gallon sample, at an intermediate stage. As a result it was n cessary in such instances to start with a. new resin sample in order to prepare sufficient oxyethylated derivatives illustrating the such circumstances, of

[Besinmade in pilot plant size batch. approximately 25 pounds, corresponding to 3a of Patent 2,499,370 but this batch designated 10412.}

Phenol for resin: Para-tertiary ,atriylphenol Aldehyde for resin Formaldehyde te. inns 22, 1 48 Mix Which is Mix which Re- Starting Mix fig i' fi g of Removed for mains as Next Sample Starter Max. Max. Time q Pressure Tempera- Solubiiity Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs.

Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Sol- Res- Etc Res- Eto Sol- Res- Etc 801- Res- Em vent in vent in vent in vent in First Stage Resin 170 1590--.. Molal Ratio 111-. I4. 15. 75 0 14. 25 15. 75 4. 0 3. 3. 1. 0 10. 9 12. 1 3. O 80 150 $4 I Ex. No. 1046.

Second Stage been to ET;O Moial Rat-i0 1:5" 10. 9 12.1 3. 0 10. 9 12. 1 15. 25 3. 77 4. 17 5. 31. 7. 13 7. 93 9. 94 158 A ST Third Stage fiesin to EtO Mela Ratio 1:10- 7. 13 7.93 9. 94. 7.13 7.93 19.69 3.29 3. 68 9. 04 3. 84 4. 25 10.65 60 173 1% F8 Ex. N0. 1060... 4

Fourth Stage Resin t0 EtO. M0181 Ratio 1:15. 3.84 4. 25 10. 65 3. 84 4. 25 16. 15 2. 04 2. 21 8. 55 1. 2. 04 7. 60 220 160 16 RS 11x. No. 10717.

Fifth Stage Resin to EtO M0101 Ratio 1:20- 1.80 2. 04 7.60 1.80 2.04. 10.2 150 56 Q8 13:12: No. 10st--.

ST=Slight tendency toward becoming soluble. FS=Fairly soluble. RS= Readily soluble. QS= Quite soluble.

Date, June 18, 1948 [Resin made in pilot plant size batch, approximately 25 pounds, corresponding to 70a of Patent 2,499,370 but this batch designated 10%.] I 1 Phenol for resin: Nonylphenol Aldehyde for resin: Formaldehyde ST Slight tendency toward solubility.

VS Very soluble.

- Mix Which is Mix Which Restarting Mix gg figg of Removed for mains as Next Sample Starter Max Pressure Temp erafii Solubility Lbs. Lbs. Lbs Lbs. Lbs. Lbs Lbs. Lbs. Lbs Lbs. Lbs. Us ture' Sol- Res- Sol- Res- Sol- Res- Etc) 501- Reswent in vent in vent in vent in FirstStage Resin to EtO. Moial Ratio 1:1. 15. 0 l5. 0 0 l5. 0 15. 0 3 5. 0 5. 0 1. 0 10. 0 10. O 2. 0 50 150 1% ST Ex. N0. 109b Second Stage Resin t0 EtO M0131 Ratio 1: 5 10 10 2, 0 10 10 9. 4 2. 72 2. 72 2. 56 7. 27 7. 27 6. 86 100 147 2 DT Ex. N0. b

Tt ird Stage Resin to Et0 Molal Ratio 1:10- 7.27 7.27 6.86 7.27 7. 27 13.7 4.16 4.16 7. 68 3.15 3.15 5.95 1% S EX. N0. 111b V Fourth Stage Resin te-Et0. Molal Ratio 1:15- 3.15 3.15 5.95 3.15 3. 15 8.95 1.05 1.05 2.95 2.10 2. 10 6.00 220 174 2% S EX.N0. 1l2b Fifth Stage Besin to EtO Molal Ratio 1:20. 2.10 2.10 6.00 2.10 2.10 8.00 220 183 9'3 VS EX. N0. 1130- s'=so 1ub1s. V DT=Definite tendency toward solubility.

I Aldehyde for resin: Formaldehyde 8=Soluble.

NS=Not soluble.

VS=Very soluble.

Date, June 23, 24, 1948 Rs iniiisid-in inlet 'p'laiit si ze batch; efifiloxlmatelv 25 pounds, corresponding to 8a of Patent 2,499,370 but this batch deslgnated 114m] i Mix Which is Mix Which Re- '1 Starting Mix figg 'figg of Removed for mains as Next v Sample Starter Max. Max. Time I I i Pressure Tempe rahrs Solubility Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lb Sol- Res- 801- Res- S01- Resgj Sol- Resa vent in vent in vent in vent in First Stage f Resin to Eton... f

M0181 Ratio 1: 14. 15.8 0 14.2 15.8 '3. 25 3.1 3.4 0.75 11.1 12.4 2.5 50 150 1! NS Ex No. 114b 3 Second Stage Resin :0 EtO. 3 M0181 Ratio 1: 11.1 12.4 2.5 11.1% 12.4 12.5 7.0 7. 82 7.88 4.1 4.53 4. 62 100 171 34 SS Ex. No. 1150 Third Stage Resin to EtOi-.. M0181 Ratio 1:10. 6.64 7. 36 15.0 120 190 1% S Ex. No. 116b- Fourth Stage Resin-to Et0.--. M. M0181 Ratio 1'15 4. 40 4.9 '0 4.4 4.9 14.8 400 160 $5 VS Ex. No. 117b.-.. I Fifth sa e Resin to EtOi... 1 f. M0181 "Ratio 1: 4.1 4. 58 "'4. 62 4. 1 4. 58 18. R9 260 172 55 VS Ex. No. 1l8b S==Soluble. N S=Not soluble. SS=Somewhat solu'ole. VS=Very soluble.

Phenol for resin Mentllylphenol Aldehyde for resin: Formaldehyde Date, July 8-13, 1948 [Resin uses in plilot plent siie Batch, epp rok imately poiinds, corresponding to 69a of Patent 2,499,370 but this batch designated 119a.)

E i Mix Which is Mix Which Re- Starting Mix figgfigg of Removed for mains as Next f Sample Starter Max. Max. V Pressure Tempsrafi Solubility Lbs. Lbs. Lbs Lbs. Lbs. g Lbs. Lbs. Lbs Lbs. Lbs. Lbs

Res- Sol- Res- Sol- Res- Sol- Resb' vent in t vent in vent V vent in First Stage Resin to EtO.- g M0181 Ratioifl..- 13. 6'5 16. 0' 13. 65 '16. 35 3.1] 9. 11. 45 2. 1 4. 1 4. 9 0. 9 1% NS Ex. No. 11911.5.-- r 3 Second Stage Resin to Et0.... I F. M0181 Ratio" 1: 1O 12 3'0" 10 A "12 10.75 4. 52 5.42 4.81 5. 48 6. 58 5. 94 140 H12 3 Ex. No. 120b.-. r; a

Third Stage Resin to EtO...

T M0181 Ratio 1:10 5.48 6. 58 1 5. 94 5.48 "6.58 10:85 90 160 14 S Ex. No. 121b Fourth Stage 3 ResintoEt0 I M0181 Ratio 1 5 4.1 4.9 0Y9 4.1. 4.92 13. 180 171 1'12 VS Ex. No. 122!) 1 A I Fifth Stage t Resin to 151:0... Z Molfil R8110 1 0- 3.10 3.72 0.68 3.10 3:72 "13:43 320 VS Ex. N0. 1230-1--- f 5 I Phenol far resin: Para-secondary butylphenb'l Date, July 14-15, 1948 Aldehydejor Wain: Fbrlmuldehyde '[Resin made in pilot vpianQ-size batch, approximately 25 pbunds, corresponding 10 2001 11210112 24110.3711 but this:batchfiasighated124m] Phenol for vesin: .Menthyl Date, August, 12-13, 1948 Aldehyde .for resin: Pmpionaldehgd'e Mix Which -is Mix Which Re- St rtin Mix 5533535 2 3 ma ns-2 11221 mains'as' Neit 1 Sample Starter Max Time Pres su1'e flemgera: hm Solubility 1 1 's; gbs. 1 05s. 115. 1 1. 5. r bs. :Dbs 1 m n. 1 25. ms

0- es- 0- 'esf 1oes- 0- s- Vent in E130 vent in vent in Vent in First Stage Resin to EtO M0121 Ratio 1:1- 14.45 15.55 0 14.45 -15. 4.25 5.97 6. 38 1.75 8. 48 9.11 2. 50 150 @i-a NS Ex. No. 124b v I Second Stage l Resin to EtO j i 1 'Moiai Ratio 1:5 8.48 9.17 2.50 8.48 9.17 16.0 5.83 6. 32 -11. 05 "2.65 2. 4. 95 188 '35 85 Ex. No. 1250..-- I

Third Stage Resin to E10"..- V Molal Ratio 1:10. 4.82 5.18 0 4.82 5.18 14. 25 1 400 1183 @i 8 Ex. N0. 126!) Fourth. Stage Resin to EtO Moial Ratio 1*1-5- 3.85 4.15 0 3. 85 4. 15 17. 0 1 180 1% VS Ex. N0. 127b-.

Fifth Stage Resin to EtO I v I Molai Ratio 1:20- 2.65 2.85 4.95 2.65 2. 85 15.45 80 3 1 2 VS 'Ex. No. 1280 S =So1ub1e. NS =Not soluble. SS Somewhat soluble. VS=Very solubim [Resin made on pilot plant size batch, approximate1y25 pounds, corresponding to-Slwoi Patent 2,499,370 butethis hatch-designated 12911.]

. i Mix Whichds Mix Which Re- Starting Mix $fi g Removed'for "mains aslN'ett Sample Starter V Time I, V Pressuye. flemgeran Solubility 1 .10 8. l bs. Lbs 0 8. 05. Lbs ga s. I ps. D58 lgis. o es- 0 65- 0'- e's- .f vent in vent 1n vent in m vent First Stage Resin to E10. v i f Molal Ratio 12.8 17.2 2.1--- 12.8; 47.2 2.75 4. 25 5.7 0.95 8.55 11.50 1. 80 110 0150 /5 -Ndt 301111112. Ex. No. 129!) 1 7 I I v Second Stage Resin to EtO- 1 y I Moial Ratio 8.55 11. 50 1.80 8.55 11. 50 9.3 4.78 6.42 6.2.. 3.77 --100 170 9'6 'sbmewhlit Ex. No. 1300 I j isolub'le;

Third Stage 3 Resin to EtO i M0121 Ratio 1:10- 3.77 5.08 4.10 8.77 5.08 13.1. .100 .182 Hi! Sdllible. Ex.N'o.131b g: Fourth Stage 1 Resin to EtO- I M01211 Ratio 5- 7.0 5.2. 7.0 17.0 3.10 4.17 10.13 2.10 Z83 6.87 200 '182 Vei'y'soiliBIe. Ex. No. 132b s 1; 5'.

Fifth Stage Resin to EtO; M0121 Ratio 1:20. 2.10 2.83 0.87 2.10 2.83 0.12 .90 .150 36 Veiysoiixifla. Ex.N0.133b 1 1 Phenol for resin: Para-tertiary amylphenol Date, August 27-31, 1948 v v I [Resin made on pilot plant size batch. approximately pounds. corresponding to 42a of Patent 2,499,370 but this batch designated as 134a.]

Aldehyde fof-fesimFurfural Mix Which is Mix Which Re- Starting Mix fig; of Removed for mains as Next ction Sample Starter Max. Max. Time 1Pressure 'empggzhrs Solubility Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs.

Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Sol- Res- Sol- Res- 801- Res- 501- Rosvent in Eto vent in Eto vent in Eto vent in Eto First Stage Resin to Eton-.- MolalRatioi: 11.2 18.0 11.2 18.0 3.5 2.75 4.4 0.85 8.45 13.6 2.65 120 135 Be Not soluble. Ex.No.134b

Second Sta ge Resin to EtO.- MolalRatioki- 8.45 13.6 2.65 8.45 13.6 12.65 5.03 8.12 7.55 3.42 5.48 5.10 150 M Somewhat Ex. No.135b soluble.

Third Stage Resin to EtO Molal Ratio 1:10-- 4.5 8.0 4.5 8.0 14.5 2.45 4.35 7.99 2.05 3.65 6.60 180 163 y. Soluble. Ex.No.136b

Fourth Stage Resin to EtO Molal Ratio 1:15-- 3.42 5.48 5.10 3.42 5.48 15. 180 188 $5 Verysoluble. Ex. No. 1370..;...

Fifth Stage Resin to Etomul .Molal Ratio 1:20.- 2.05 3.65 6.60 2.05 3.65 13.35 $4; Verysoluble. Ex.N0.138b -l .Phenol for resin: Menthyl Aldehyde for resin: Furfural Date, Sept. 23-24,

[Resin made on pilot size batch, approximately 25 pounds, corresponding 10 89a of Patent 2,499,370 but this batch designated as 13911.]

- Mix Which is Mix Which Re- Starting Mix aigg figg of Removed for mains as Next Sample Starter Max M ax. Time Pressure Temgera- Solubility Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Sol- Res- E2? s Res- Egg SOl- Res- 5?? S01- Res- 3 vent in vent in vent in vent in First Stage Resin to EtOQ--- Molal Ratio 1:1 10.25 17.75 10.25 17.75 2.5 2.65 4.60 0.65 7.6 13.15 1.85 90 $6 Not soluble. Ex. No. 1390.---

Second Stage Resin to EtO Molal Ratio 1:5 7.6 13.15 1.85 7.6 13.15 9.35 5.2 9.00 6.40 2.4 4.15 2.95 80 177 }6 Somewhat Ex. N0. 1401) soluble.

Third Stage Resin to EtO. M0lalRatio1:10 4.22 6. 4.22 6.98 10.0 9C 16. $4 Soluble. 'Ex. N 0. 141b Fourth Stage Resin to EtO Molal Ratio 1:15.. 3.76 6.24 3.76 6.24 13. 100 171 Verysoluble, Ex. N 0. 142b Fifth Stage Resin to EtO MolalRati01:20 2.4 4.15 2.95 2.4 4.15 11.70 90 150 $5 VerySOluble. Ex. N 0. 1435.4...

Date. October 7-8, 1948 Phenol for resin: Rara-oc'tyl Aldehyde for vresin': Wurfmdl Resin made on pilot plant size batch. approximately 25 pounds, corresponding to 42a of Patent 2,499,370 with 205 parts by weightvof comm'eeial 'pamootylphenol replaoing .lfi4xparts by weigh]; of para-tertiaryomiilphendtbutthisibateh fiesignatedas 14441. 1

. V Mix Wliih is Mix which iRe- Starting Mix figfigg 1 Removedr'for mains asNexi:

Sample Starter Max Max Eressuye Eemp ege 32 Solubility Lbs. Lbs. IJbs. Lbs. V libs. 1211s. libs. .Lbs.

Lbs. .Lhs. Lbs. t :Lbs. Sol- Res- 801- Bes- SoliRes- Sol- Beswent in Eto vent in Etc vent in Eto went in Eto First Stage Resin to EtO---. 1 I 7 Mola'l :Ratio 111.. 12. 1 18.6 12.1 i 18.6 I 3.0 1 5.38 8.28 $.72 10.32 21.6.6 -80 150 Ma Insoluble EX. No. 14%...."

Second Stage Slight tend- Resin to EtO v 1 Bn'ey .to- Mola'l Ratio 1 :5" 33. 25 14. 25 9. 25 14. 25 "11.0 3.73 5.78 4. 44 6. 52 8. 52 6.56 1'00 1'77 -i2 W81? be- Ex. 110.1450".-- coming-solnble. Third Stage Resin to Et Molal Ratio 1:10. .6972 10. 32 1. 66 6. 72 "10. 32 '14. 91 4. 97 7. 62 11. 01 El. 75 2.70 '3. 9D =85 182 "$4 Fairly :80111- Ex. No. 1460..." ble.

Fourth Stage Resin to Eton... Mo'la'l Ratio 1=:-1'5. 5.52 8.52 6. 56 5. 52 8.52 19:81 I00 I76 3% 136mm,? 5,01- Ex. No.147b uble.

Fifth Stage Resin to 130.--- -Mdla1 Ratio 1:520. 2. 70 3. 90 1.75 2; 70 8.4 '80 1.60 "M Quite $0111- Ex. No. 148b bio.

Date, October 11-13, 1948 Phenol for-vesin: Pam-13mm Aldehyde for resin': Fw-fural Resin made on pilot plant size batch..apprmdmately 25 .pounds. corresponding to 4=2a oi .Patent 2,499.370 with 170. parts by weight of oommecial *parapheny'lphenolreplacing 104 parts lay-weight dipzra-tei'tiary amylphenol buvthisbatch designated as M9413 Whiohis Mix WmichL-Re- 1 Starting Mix gg fi g Removedfor mains asiNext Sample Starter Mex. v ,Max. Time I v Pressu e Temo erams Solubility 5 fi bs 5 i Lbs 5 1 "i i Lbs 5 i Lbs 0- es 0- es-' 0- es -:oes-" vent in Eto vent in E130 went in Eto vent in Eto First Stave Resin to EtO I I Molel Ratio 1:1" 13. 9 16.7 13.9 16.7 350 3. 50 4. 11.80 '10. 12.45 '2f20 100 160 Insohflfle. Ex. No. 1490"... i r

Second Stage Resin to EtO.... I a Molal Ratio 1: 5 10.35 12.45 2. 20 10.35 12. 12. 20 5.15 6. 19 6.06 6.20 6.25 6:14 '80 183 1% Ex. No. 150b blhty. Third Stage Resin to E tO. i Molal Ratio 1:10- 8.90 10.7 8. 10.70 19.0 6:30 6:38 11.32 3.60 '4. 32 "7. 68 90 "193 A2 Eairly r5011]? Ex. No. 15112.... "ble.

Fourth Stage Resin to EtO. Molal Ratio 1:15- 5. 20 6. 26 6.14 5. 20 6.26 16:6 I71 ")6 Readily Sol- Ex. No. 15212. uble.

Fifth Stage Resin t0 E..- Molal *Ratio 1520. 3.60 4. 32 '7. 68 3. 60 4:32 15:68 Sample 'somewhat'ru'bberyand gelat- 230 2 Ex. N 0. 153b inous but felrlysoluble 

1. A PROCESS FOR BREAKING PETROLEUM EMULSIONS OF THE WATER-IN-OIL TYPE, CHARACTERIZED BY SUBJECTING THE EMULSION TO THE ACTION OF A DEMULSIFIER INCLUDING A HYDROPHILE QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUND OBTAINED BY REACTION BETWEEN A HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PYRIDINE, QUINOLINE, ISOQUINOLINE, AND CARBON-LINKED METHYL HOMOLOGUES THEREOF, AND AN ESTER IN WHICH THE ACYL RADICAL IS THAT AN ALPHA-HALOGEN MONOCARBOXYLIC ACID HAVING NOT OVER 6 CARBON ATOMS AND THE ALCOHOLIC RADICAL IS THAT OF CERTAIN HYDROPHILE POLYHYDRIC SYNTHETIC PRODUCTS; SAID HYDROPHILE SYNTHETIC PRODUCTS BEIN OXYALKYLATION PRODUCTS OF (A) AN ALPHA-BETA ALKYLENE OXIDE HAVING NOT MORE THAN 4 CARBON ATOMS AND SELECTED FROM THE CLAS CONSISTING OF ETHYLENE OXIDE, PROPYLENE OXIDE, BUTYLENE OXIDE, GLYCIDE, AND METHYLGLYCIDE, AND (B) AN OXYALKYLATION-SUSCEPTIBLE, FUSIBLE, ORGANIC SOLVENT-SOLUBLE, WATER-INSOLUBLE, PHENOL-ALDEHYDE RESIN; SAID RESIN BEING DERIVED BY REACTION BETWEEN A DIFUNCTIONAL MONOHYDRIC PHENOL AND AN ALDEHYDE HAVING NOT OVER 8 CARBON ATOMS AND REACTIVE TOWARDS SAID PHENOL; SAID RESIN BEING FORMED IN THE SUBSTANTIAL ABSENCE OF TRIFUNCTIONAL PHENOLS; SAID PHENOL BEING OF THE FORMULA 